98º – The Hardest Thing (Official Music Video)

Today’s song of the day is “The Hardest Thing” by the American boy band 98 Degrees. Unlike many other boy band groups, 98 Degrees formed independently rather than being put together by a record label. The band members, all natives of Ohio, felt that this background made them a more legitimate group than their competitors. However, they arguably never reached the same level of superstardom as other boy bands.

“The Hardest Thing” was released from the group’s second studio album, 98 Degrees and Rising. The song, a ballad to a mistress, peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Fun Facts

• “The Hardest Thing” achieved a Gold certification by RIAA, selling more than 500,000 units worldwide.

• Steve Kipner and David Frank wrote this song. Frank is known as the “Father of Electronic R&B,” while Steve has worked on chart-topping hits such as Christina Aguilera’s “Genie in a Bottle” and Natasha Bedingfield’s “These Worlds.”

• “The Hardest Thing” reached No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary charts.

• The single was released under the Universal Music Group N.V.

• The album 98 Degrees and Rising features a duet with Stevie Wonder titled “True to Your Heart.” This song is the soundtrack to the Disney film “Mulan” (1998).

• The band’s 98 Degrees and Rising album was the best-selling album, with over four million sales in the U.S.

Lyrics

We both know that I shouldn’t be here

This is wrong

And baby it’s killing me, it’s killing you

Both of us trying to be strong

I’ve got somewhere else to be

Promises to keep

Someone else who loves me

And trusts me fast asleep

I’ve made up my mind

There is no turning back

She’s been good to me

And she deserves better than that

It’s the hardest thing I’ll ever have to do

To look you in the eye

And tell you I don’t love you

It’s the hardest thing I’ll ever have to lie

To show no emotion when you start to cry

I can’t let you see what you mean to me

When my hands are tied and my hearts not free

We’re not meant to be

It’s the hardest thing

I’ll ever had to do

To turn around and walk away pretending I don’t love you

I know that we’ll meet again

Fate has a place and time

So you can get on with your life

I’ve got to be cruel to be kind

Like Dr. Zhivago

All my love I’ll be sending

And you will never know

There can be no happy ending

It’s the hardest thing I’ll ever have to do

To look you in the eye

And tell you I don’t love you

It’s the hardest thing I’ll ever have to lie

To show no emotion

When you start to cry

I can’t let you see what you mean to me

When my hands are tied

And my hearts not free

We’re not meant to be

It’s the hardest thing I’ll ever had to do

To turn around and walk away pretending I don’t love you

I’ve made up my mind

There is no turning back

She’s been good to me

And she deserves better than that

It’s the hardest thing I’ll ever have to do

To look you in the eye

And tell you I don’t love you

It’s the hardest thing I’ll ever have to lie

To show no emotion

When you start to cry

I can’t let you see

What you mean to me

When my hands are tied

And my hearts not free

We’re not meant to be

It’s the hardest thing I’ll ever had to do

To turn around and walk away pretending I don’t love you